Match Made
by wordsflying
Summary: What happens when Hermione is forced to marry her potions master? HG/SS
1. Chapter 1

Hermione brushed her hair through. Ron was waiting for her downstairs, the owl was due today, the one that was going to tell her who she was going to marry. They were hoping and praying but she knew deep down that no person would put them together, they were too different and Hermione wasn't convinced that they would have worked in the long term anyway. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and walked down the stairs, he was stood, his ginger hair messy, and bags under his eyes. Her heart began to ache, would things have been different if the population was able to sustain itself.

"Hi 'Mione, sleep well?"

"Ron-"

"I can't talk this through anymore,"

She looked at him, and cupped his face in her hand.

"I'm so sorry it has to end this way,"

"Who knows, it might be my name written in that letter,"

He said it with the same resignation, he knew as well that there was no chance. They walked into the kitchen, Molly was fussing over George, something that she did a lot since Fred's death. The worst part of it was, he didn't stop her. He just sat there. He had reopened the joke store, and was making good money, but he refused to step foot in the door, he spent most of his time in his room trying to make the gags that they use to be famous for.

"Oh Hermione, dear," Molly said, looking at her with those pitiful eyes. "Do you want something to eat? I have toast, eggs, bacon, sausages, or I can make up some pancakes if you'd prefer?"

"Just some egg and toast please?"

She piled the plate high and placed it in front of her, looking at her just that little too long. Hermione was looking at the window constantly, waiting for the first day of the rest of her life. Someone knocked on the door and in came Harry, pulling Ginny with him.

"Has it arrived yet?"

"No love, are you and Ginny wanting something to eat?"

Hermione looked at them both, and found it hard not to feel resentment boiling up inside her. The Chosen One got to choose who he got to marry, but of course he did. It wasn't Harry's fault, but she just couldn't help feeling the anger about it. She just smiled tightly at them both and went back to pick at her eggs, there was a peck at the window.

She stood up and took the letter of its leg, sliced it open and began reading.

* * *

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _Following our previous letters we have since made a decision on who is the most suitable for you to marry in light of the circumstances._

 _As you know, magical children are becoming few and far between due to the amount of casualties during the war, and we have looked through your records and matched you with someone who will ensure that your talents will be passed on through the generations._

 _We have made the decision that the person that would best serve our interests would be:_

 _Severus Snape_

 _You have the right to appeal this decision within 24 hours and we may allocate you to someone else if there is compelling evidence against the match._

 _Kind Regards,_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

* * *

Her blood ran cold. Her breath hitched. Snape. That's who they'd paired her with. He was so much older than her. How could they think that was the right match?

"That slimy git, how could they?"

"I don't know Ron," She said, placing the envelope on the table.

"Well we'll appeal it, they'll have to find you someone new," Harry said, quickly.

She nodded, still numb from everything that was going on. She quickly composed a letter questioning their choice and asked if she could be reallocated. She attached the scroll to the bird's leg and watched as it flew into the distance. All her hope with it.

"They'll sort it,"

It took all of half an hour for that well-placed optimism to turn to ashes in their mouths. The reply was short and sweet.

* * *

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _Considering the evidence, the benefits of this match far outweigh the cons, so reallocation on this occasion has been denied._

 _We wish you all the best in your new marriage._

 _Kind regards,_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

* * *

She sank into the chair, numb. Everyone around her was talking, but all she could hear was a low humming. She was being forced to marry Severus Snape.

* * *

Snape had received the notification, he was sat alone. There was no one there to make him breakfast or help him through this transition in his life. He had read it through, crumpled it and then flattened it. He could see the logic in their decision and he knew there was no point in it. They had made their decision and there was nothing he could say to change their minds.

Not only that he wasn't so sure it was a bad thing.


	2. Chapter 2

The wedding was a small affair, in fact they mainly were these days. The queues for the Ministry of Marriage were constantly out the door, people didn't want to pay for lavish affairs when in most cases it wasn't for love. Severus and Hermione had stood outside in the queue waiting in silence, breaking it only to say their vows and then they left. They stood outside the hall awkwardly. They were waiting for another owl to see where their Ministry-appointed house would be. Hermione could tell he was hoping that they would get to stay in Spinner's End. The owl swooped down and Severus took the letter of its leg, read it and then passed it to her.

 _Dear Mr and Mrs Snape,_

 _Due to a shortage of homes, we have made the decision that your application to stay at Spinner's End has been granted._

 _Good luck in all your future endeavours,_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

He had applied without discussing it with her, should she be upset? She didn't have anywhere to stay so it would make sense that she would move into his. He apparated without talking to her, and she assumed he was heading to his and followed. She felt as though she was intruding on his life, and a part of her wished that they had been allocated different housing where they could start a fresh.

"Miss Granger I have made a room up for you,"

She jumped, startled. He was waiting for her by the door, she followed him up the stairs and into a sparsely furnished box room.

"I hope you'll find this to your tastes,"

She merely nodded without looking at him. He stopped at the door as if to say something more. He just shook his head slightly. He walked from the room leaving her to his thoughts. She curled up on the bed, bringing her knees to her chest and began to sob. She had never imagined her life to be like this. Her breath hitched, and she crawled under the duvet and fell into a sleep, not worrying about crumpling the white summer dress that had become her wedding dress.

* * *

Severus left and heard the sobs. He placed his hand on the wooden door, wanting to comfort her, knowing it wasn't possible. He walked down the stairs slowly, and sank into the chair. He tried to read, but his mind was elsewhere. Mainly up in the second bedroom with the sobbing Miss Granger. He stood up and went into the kitchen, determined to find something that would cheer the young witch up.

The pain in his neck began worsening. He gasped and stumbled over to his cabinet, reached for a small vial and drunk deeply. The pain lessened, it hadn't disappeared but it never would. He was surprised that she hadn't asked any questions over how he had survived and the life he had lived since.

He stood and began to cook dinner. He was going to make pasta in a sauce of his own design and hope that it was enough to entice her down from the bedroom. His head was all over the place. He couldn't believe he had survived the war and lived long enough to be married.

The food with a little magic was ready and then he was struck with what he should do next, go to her room, interrupt her crying, or leave her food in a perpetual warming state? She couldn't cry forever. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He ran up the stairs, and was relieved to hear that there was no noise coming from the room. He knocked.

"Miss Granger? I have cooked a meal for us,"

She was lying on the bed asleep, but as he walked over to the bed she awoke. He stood there awkwardly.

"There's food downstairs if you're interested?"

He was blushing, he could feel the heat on his cheeks, she just observed him.

"I'll wait for you to join me."

She nodded before swinging her legs over the bed. He left her in the room and started to dish the food out onto two plates. He placed them on the table as she walked in still wearing the dress they had married in.

"It smells wonderful,"

"I hope you like it,"

They sat and Severus waited for Hermione to put the first morsel in her mouth and watched as her face scrunched with pleasure before starting his.

"I am not going to deny that this must be an awful situation for you to be in." He started. "But if there is anything I can do to make this any less painful for you, then please let me know."

"I'm not in pain,"

"What?"

"I'm not in pain, I just- I didn't imagine my life like this,"

"Neither did I,"

"We will make the best out of a bad situation then,"

She said smiling at him, he relaxed slightly.

"What have you put in this sauce, it's to die for," She said, with her mouth full.

He found himself smirking.

"It's my own recipe."

"It's brilliant."

Hermione jumped into a tirade about all the things that she wanted to achieve with her magic and he found himself completely enthralled with what she was saying. He noticed that she would tuck her hair behind her ears when she got really into something she was saying, and the way her eyes lit up when he contributed to what she was already saying.

Then came the owl that ruined everything.

 _Dear Mr and Mrs Snape,_

 _Please remember that for your marriage to be legal and binding, it must be consummated with the act of sexual intercourse._

 _You have 24 hours._

 _Many happy returns,_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

Hermione's face paled and then blushed deep red. He looked at her, and grimaced, she held a small smile to her face.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know this was an obligation,"

She blushed deeper.

"I did, I just wasn't expecting it to have a time limit about it."

He looked at her with sympathy.

"Shall we get this over with?" She said pushing back her chair and walking out of the room.

Severus gazed after her in amazement.


End file.
